diff --git a/koboldcpp.py b/koboldcpp.py
index 818d0fc9f..26341d5a4 100755
--- a/koboldcpp.py
+++ b/koboldcpp.py
@@ -3346,10 +3346,11 @@ def toolcall_to_normalized_json(text,start_tag,end_tag): #convert weird formats
     def parse_gemma4(text: str) -> str:
         if text.startswith("call:"):
             text = text[len("call:"):]
-        text = text.replace('<|"|>', '!$$REAL_QUOTE$$!')
-        text = text.replace('\\', '\\\\')
-        text = text.replace('"', '\\"')
-        text = text.replace('!$$REAL_QUOTE$$!','"')
+        if '<|"|>' in text:
+            text = text.replace('<|"|>', '!$$REAL_QUOTE$$!')
+            text = text.replace('\\', '\\\\')
+            text = text.replace('"', '\\"')
+            text = text.replace('!$$REAL_QUOTE$$!','"')
         fn_match = re.match(r'^([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*)\{(.*)\}$', text.strip(), re.DOTALL) # extract fn name
         if not fn_match:
             return text